But doesn’t everybody? Sigh.
SICK DAY: THE BATTLE WITHIN is a 77K Middle grade science fiction that I am currently querying (yikes).
The story has been described by beta readers to the NeverEnding Story meets Inside Out. It is my first novel and it has taken years to write (re-write mostly). The podcast https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com has been a guiding light and source of beta readers (thank you for the match ups).
You can read the first page here. While I try to get an agent, I’ve started a new book about a raccoon named Dot who lives in the neighbourhood, whose mom has died and whose sister is missing. She doesn’t get along with the crows.
When lying sick in bed I have often imagined the internal battle raging to fight off the invaders. In my mind (at the time) immune cells were like World War One soldiers on the Front (Western or Eastern depending on your Point of View) huddled against the cold, the odds stacked against them. Somehow that is comforting to me, and it’s more fun to imagine than just feeling sorry for myself until the fever breaks.
In 2006 or so, my girlfriend and I were driving from Toronto to Montreal to get engaged on her birthday (I knew, she didn’t, it has worked out marvellously). On that drive I sketched out a book for kids that I wanted to write about being sick. The book would star an immune cell.
In 2020 the obvious happened at a time when I was finally old enough to manage my time effectively (ish). I took advantage of no longer having a commute I started writing a bit each morning, and more on weekends.
Zoom, suddenly (about six years later) I finished wrote a book.
I really like it.
A few years ago, my son, who reads more than anyone I know, said a previous draft was good (generous of him) and is asked about a sequel. His patient school librarian read an early draft and said there was nothing like it (in a good way) and he suggested it should have a map, so I made one.
I’ve started reaching out to agents, and who knows if that will work out. I hear it’s a bit of a slog 🤣. No matter what happens it is so fun to write again! I am lucky to have found a way to bring writing daily back into my life (hence all the Hell’s Kitchen articles and more).